


a wonderful life

by zipadeea



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Canon Compliant, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Irondad, It's a Wonderful Life, Loss of Parent(s), Mild Language, POV Tony Stark, Precious Peter Parker, Time - Freeform, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, but what actually happens in the soul stone, do they remember?, harry potter spoilers also?, i love christmas movies and that's the best one so obviously it's referenced, i made up my own story, idk maybe, maybe not, no really what is it, spiderson, technically, this could really fit in anywhere, what is time?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21544738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zipadeea/pseuds/zipadeea
Summary: "There’s a person.A boy, he thinks, not a hundred yards away. Tony can’t believe he hadn’t noticed him yet. The boy must see him too, because he starts sprinting toward Tony, splashing like a madman through the water. Tony wonders if he should be afraid.But then the boy gets closer, and Tony takes in the shaggy brown hair, the torn jeans and baby face and the t-shirt that says 'You Matter. Unless you multiply yourself by the speed of light squared. Then you energy.' The kid looks about fourteen and Tony would believe it if someone told him his eyes had been transplanted straight from a puppy dog.Tony isn’t scared. This boy couldn’t hurt a fly."***Peter and Tony meet for the first and last time.
Relationships: Peggy Carter & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 17
Kudos: 148





	a wonderful life

**Author's Note:**

> Idk this just came to me and i wrote it in a couple hours but I love it? it's basically my take on the Kings Cross chapter of Harry Potter but for the MCU. Except with a bit of a twist. I really hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think in the comments :)

When Tony wakes, everything is orange. 

He’s lying in a shallow pool of water, but as he sits up, he realizes he’s not wet. Just a bit cold, and he looks down to find himself wearing his favorite MIT hoodie and his most worn pair of jeans. 

Tony stands and walks. He walks and walks and finds... 

Nothing. 

Zero. Zilch. Nada. 

Just him, the clothes on his back, the weird water on his feet, and the orange sky that never ends. 

Part of him thinks he should be worried. He should be fucking terrified. Where is he going, how the hell is he going to get out of this place, why is he here? Is it all a dream? 

Is he...is he dead? 

But Tony is oddly calm as he walks along the water, feeling a bit like Jesus, and he scoffs internally at the irreverent joke. 

He tries briefly to remember where he’d been before he woke up in this can of Fanta, but it’s blurry and painful and he stops quickly. He just keeps walking, aimlessly, peaceful, until... 

There’s a person. 

A boy, he thinks, not a hundred yards away. Tony can’t believe he hadn’t noticed him yet. The boy must see him too, because he starts sprinting toward Tony, splashing like a madman through the water. Tony wonders if he should be afraid. 

But then the boy gets closer, and Tony takes in the shaggy brown hair, the torn jeans and baby face and the t-shirt that says “You Matter. Unless you multiply yourself by the speed of light squared. Then you energy.” The kid looks about fourteen and Tony would believe it if someone told him his eyes had been transplanted straight from a puppy dog. 

Tony isn’t scared. This boy couldn’t hurt a fly. 

“Oh, thank God, I’m so glad I’m not alone, I have no idea what the hell is going on. Everything was scary and sucked and then I got all dusty and--,” Oh God, the kid’s a rambler. “And now I’m here. Are we dead?” 

Tony shakes his head and splashes down as he sits on the not wet water. “Dunno. I mean, that wasn’t exactly my plan, but I really don’t mind if I am.” 

The kid frowns. “That’s a horrible thing to say. You shouldn’t want to die. You’re important.” 

“Oh, do I matter?” Tony asks, rolling his eyes as he points to the kid’s t-shirt. The kid’s frown deepens as he looks down. 

“I threw this shirt out months ago, it got all torn up when--,” he shakes his head and sighs. “Whatever. But yes, you do matter. Everyone matters.” The kid plops down across from him. 

Tony rolls his eyes again. “So, what the fuck is this? Are you supposed to be my guardian angel or some shit? Figures I’d have a twelve-year-old optimist as my guardian angel, do I call you Clarence, or--,” 

“I’m sixteen!” the kid protests, eyes hard. “And you’re one to talk, you hardly look older than me.” 

“I’m twenty-one, kiddo, and I guarantee I have more life experience than you probably ever will.” Tony hears the kid scoff at that. He ignores it, leaning forward and rubbing his fingers into his temples. What the hell is going on? 

“Tony?” the kid suddenly whispers, and Tony looks up. The kid’s brown eyes are wide and shocked. “Oh, wow, it really is you. You’re so...” the kid runs his fingers down the side of his mouth. “Wow.” 

“How do you know me?” Tony asks urgently, because the kid obviously does. “You are some kind of angel, aren’t you? Well, I don’t want you and I don’t need you, go take your stupid ‘God bless us every ones’ and go home, kid--,” 

“I’m in the same boat as you, Tony, I already told you. There’s no need to be an asshole about it,” the kid snaps, eyes hard, and Tony feels the guilt slowly creep up his throat. He’s being selfish again. Single-minded, his mother says. 

Said. 

The kid must see something change in Tony’s face, because his eyes soften. “Besides, that’s from ‘A Christmas Carol’ and Tiny Tim says it, not one of the ghosts. Your reference doesn’t make any sense.” 

Tony shrugs and turns his head away. “I haven’t really been in the mood to catch up on Christmas movies this year.” 

The kid kicks his foot out and nudges Tony’s. “Why not?” 

“My parents died last week.” Tony’s throat feels nearly too tight to speak. “Uh--it was a car crash. We couldn’t--funeral was today. Closed casket.” His eyes feel hot. 

“I’m so sorry, Tony.” 

Tony looks up. The kid looks terribly sad, but there’s none of that pity in his eyes, the horrible pity from others that’s been drowning Tony these past days. Just sadness and deep sense of empathy. The kid reaches out and hesitantly grabs Tony’s ankle, grips it tight. 

Tony sniffs and rubs his hands across his eyes. 

“You don’t have to be sorry. You don’t even know me.” 

The kid shrugs. “Yes, I do. Well,” he amends. “I will. Besides, I know how you feel right now. I wouldn’t wish it on anybody in the world.” 

Tony decides to simply ignore the first part of the kid’s reply. It’s a bit too big to comprehend right now. “You’re an orphan.” 

The kid nods. “Parents died when I was six. Went to live with my aunt and uncle after that, but Uncle Ben died a couple years ago. It was...” he trails off. 

“Yeah,” Tony agrees. “It was.” 

The kid sighs and bites his lip. “Any idea what’s going on right now? Do you think we’re really dead? I kinda hoped--,” 

“Mom would be there to greet you at the pearly gates?” Tony asks with a scoff, “I don’t know about you kid, but I’m not exactly headed up based on the life I’ve lived so far.” 

The kid laughs at that. “Dude you’re like, a baby compared to the you I know. Stop talking like you’re tough shit. I know you’re lactose intolerant. I know your favorite movie is ‘The Goonies’. I know you secretly enjoy listening to Coldplay--,” 

“What’s Coldplay?” 

The kid shakes his head and stands up, begins pacing through the water. It sloshes on each side, over and around his old sneakers, getting nothing wet. Weird. 

“You really are from the nineties, aren’t you? Or, at least you think you are. You look like you are. Maybe time just, just doesn’t exist here. Wherever here is.” He turns back to look at Tony again. “Assuming we’re from the same universe, you aren’t dead. You can’t be, because you’ll meet me in two thousand sixteen. And two years later....” the kid trails off. “Well, that’s when I’m from.” He coughs, clears his throat hastily, and looks back down at Tony. “What do you remember from before?” 

Tony shuts his eyes and breathes deeply, puts his fingers back on his temples. He can see it in his mind, Dad’s dark, ornate study. The bookshelves lining all the walls, the leather wingback chair at the desk. The old Captain America poster framed on the wall. 

Tony had raided Dad’s bar cart, he suddenly remembers, the fancy one in the hidden compartment in the bookshelf. He’d locked himself in the study, opened thousands of dollars’ worth of booze and just—just trashed the place. Threw glasses through the window, turned over the heavy desk, ripped that godawful Captain America poster from the wall, before finally passing out on the leather couch as the sun began to rise through the broken window on a snowy, clear Christmas morning. 

“I think I gave myself alcohol poisoning,” Tony says with a grimace. The kid plops back down before him. A wave of water crests over Tony’s leg. 

“So, maybe you’re like, like almost dead. And that’s why we’re here. It’s like,” the kid suddenly gasps, “It’s like the end of Harry Potter, when they’re at the train station after Voldemort does the thing, and you’re Dumbledore, and I’m Harry and--,” 

“Kid, seriously, what the fuck are you talking about?” 

“I just—maybe we’re here because, because we’re not dead. Or, you’re not dead. I don’t know how I couldn’t be, because that sure as hell felt like dying but—anyway, maybe we’re here because we need to help each other. And once we do that, we can leave.” 

“Oh, and who set up this little meet-cute? God?” Tony mocks. 

“The universe is bigger than you could ever imagine, Tony. It’ll be easier if you have an open mind,” the kid says, suddenly solemn. Then he looks up to the sky, as though expecting thunder and birdsong and heaven’s rays shining through the clouds. He pouts when they don’t arrive. 

Tony feels a little bad then. The kid is trying to figure this out, just like him, but he’s taken charge. He’s been helpful and open and caring, and Tony’s been an asshole basically the whole time. And he’s five years older, Tony could at least pretend to be mature and responsible. 

“You said both ways, right? You’ve helped me, but I haven’t been much help to you at all, kid. Shit, I still don’t even know your name.” 

“Oh,” the kid says softly, “It’s um, it’s Peter. Peter Parker.” 

Peter Parker. Tony’s always been fond of alliterative names. 

He holds out his hand then. “Pleasure to meet you, Peter Peter Parker. I’m Tony Stark.” Peter takes his hand, his shake solid, and meets Tony's eyes. 

“I know.” 

Tony rolls his eyes then. “Yeah, buddy we’ve already established that you know. Just please try to let me play nice and start over. Your puppy dog eyes are kinda killing me here.” 

“Can’t kill you if you’re already dead,” Peter says blandly, and Tony fails to muffle a startled snort. 

Peter grins. 

“Well, if we are dead you’ve got the gallows humor down. Didn’t think you had it in you, kid. I’m proud.” And damn if Peter’s eyes don’t fill with tears at those words. 

Shit. Who the hell is this kid to him? 

“Can I—sorry, I know this is weird, to you we just met and all, but I can I give you a hug?” The kid stands, holds out his hand to Tony to help him up. Tony takes the hand and faces Peter. 

“I--yes?” It’s more of a question to himself than an answer, but Peter doesn’t hesitate, just goes low and wraps his arms around Tony’s waist in a crushing grip. He buries his head into Tony’s shoulder like it belongs there, and Tony finds himself hugging back, rubbing a hesitant hand up and down the kid’s spine. 

“It’s okay, Peter,” Tony says softly, when he feels the tears begin to soak the shoulder of his sweatshirt. “It’s fine, you’ll--you’ll be okay, Peter. We’re all--,” the words get caught in Tony’s throat and he feels a tear fall down his own cheek. “We’re gonna be okay. I promise, kiddo. I promise.” 

Peter pulls back after a while. Tony keeps his hands on the kid’s shoulders, looks him in the eyes. 

“You can’t promise that, Tony. You can’t know everything, I don’t care how smart you are.” 

Tony shrugs, a small but growing grin on his face. The first since he got the call that change his whole world just four days ago. 

“Feels like the right thing to do, though,” Tony finally replies. Immediately, a repetitive beeping noise starts playing by his ears. Tony grimaces and looks at Peter. “Do you hear that?” 

Peter shakes his head, before suddenly falling to his knees. 

“Peter!” Tony yelps, before crouching on the ground beside him, holding him up from the water. “What’s wrong, what are you...” but Tony trails off, watching in open-mouthed horror as tiny flakes start to peel themselves from Peter’s body before just...dissolving. 

Peter Parker is turning to dust. 

“Oh, my God, what the fuck, what the fuck, how do I—Peter, Peter, how do I fix it? What the hell is happening--,” 

Peter sits up as much as he can, still cradled in Tony’s arms, and grasps Tony’s nearest hand in an iron first. “It’s okay, it’s--this is good,” Peter says breathlessly. “I think, I think it means you fixed it, Tony. You’re bringing me back.” 

The beeping is growing louder and faster in Tony’s ears, and Peter’s legs are nearly gone, just dissolved in the water below them like silt and sea foam for the fishes and-- 

“Don’t forget what I said,” Peter whispers, eyes locked on Tony’s. “You matter, Tony. You’re so important. So loved. By so many people now, so many people in the future--,” Peter coughs and closes his eyes. “The sadness doesn’t go away, but happiness will come back. I promise, Tony.” 

Then Peter Parker is gone, just dust in his hands, under Tony’s fingernails, dissolving in the water of this alien place. Tony wants desperately to cry, but before he even gets the chance the beeping in his ears becomes a loud wail and the orange world around him finally turns black. 

000 

“You,” Aunt Peggy begins, voice watery, once she notices Tony’s eyes beginning to open. “Are a very stupid, stupid boy, Anthony Stark.” Hospital. He’s in a hospital bed. His throat feels fucking raw, his head is pounding, and his stomach hurts worse than it ever has before. Peggy’s sitting beside the bed, holding his hand, her red nail polish shining in the fluorescent hospital lights. 

“But, it’s Christmas, and you’re not feeling well at all,” she continues crisply, dabbing her eyes with a hankie, “So, I shall give you the dressing down tomorrow. How does that sound?” 

“Good,” Tony croaks. It feels like he tried to swallow knives. 

“I’m going to call in the nurse,” Peggy says, reaching over for the call button beside the bed. Tony looks up at the television playing softly in the corner. 

_“Daddy, look! Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!”_

_“That’s right. That's right!”_

_Auld Lang Syne_ starts playing and Tony turns back to Peggy. “Do you believe in angels?” He asks in a rasp. 

Peggy pulls his blankets up and tucks him in like he’s a child again, her eyes sad and fond. “I believe the people we love watch over us as much as they can for as long as they can, no matter what happens. Death can’t stop love. Maybe that makes them angels.” 

“Maybe,” Tony says softly. Already, the dream is slipping away, the orange place and the kid with the puppy dog eyes. An alliterative name, Tony remembers. It started with P, a person from his future with the initials P.P. 

_The sadness doesn’t go away, but the happiness will come back._

They had promised. 

000 

Eventually, Tony forgets the dream. 

But, five years later, when a fiery redhead from accounting comes marching into his office, a foot-high stack of spreadsheets under her arm when she sticks out her hand and introduces herself as “Virginia call me Pepper Potts”, something niggles in the back of his brain. 

P.P. 

Pepper Potts. 

(Tony is wrong. But he’s also very right.) 

And twenty years after that, when he finds out fifteen-year-old Peter Parker is Spider-Man, the niggling starts back up, and doesn’t stop. And when he meets the kid, when he fights with the kid, when the kid hugs him unexpectedly in the back of the car something in Tony’s heart, in his soul just finally settles. 

They were going to be okay. 

Tony had promised. 

**Author's Note:**

> Yo, thanks for reading, love you all. hmu in the comments because I love those, too.
> 
> And yeah, I made it Peggy at the hospital. It had to be Peggy, especially right after howard and maria's funeral. Just like, I refuse to believe Peggy wasn't part of Tony's life. She's his godmother, his Mary Poppins. She has to be. 
> 
> Anyway, hope you liked the story!
> 
> ALSO, i'm zipadeea on tumblr. hmu there if you like :)


End file.
